Scandinavian supplier body, FKG, says it sees “waves on the water” in terms of improving relations between Iran and the West that could garner real opportunities for suppliers.
Automakers and component producers are starting to take advantage of the slight relaxation in sanctions against Tehran, following an agreement reached in Switzerland at the end of last year.
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This deal, brokered in the teeth of opposition from some, paved the way for a limited lifting of draconian sanctions against Iran, which some in the West believe to be attempting to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons.
French automotive supplier association, FIEV, recently led a delegation of component producers to Iran to explore the thawing sanctions climate, while FKG is hoping for a similar opportunity itself.
“They started to talk to the Iranian government between Europe and the US in a positive way,” FKG managing director, Fredrik Sidahl, told just-auto from Gothenburg. “Iran is a big market for automotive – we see waves on the water in that respect.
“We are trying [to] copy and paste what FIEV is doing in marketing suppliers in Iran. We will do a visit in the next six months. Today Iran is producing vehicles on old platforms and they have an old automotive industry.
“It needs to be restarted and the whole automotive industry needs to be back on track [as] it was before all these crises they had in Iran. It has traditionally been a good market for Swedish OEMs and suppliers – it was a big market for Volvo.”
Paris business association, MEDEF, recently took a delegation to Tehran, while FIEV, attended an automotive conference in the Iranian capital, bringing with it 16 domestic component producers.
